


Auggie Pullman and Mr. Murdock

by Rakefetzyz



Category: Daredevil (TV), Wonder - R. J. Palacio
Genre: Blindness, Facial Differences, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-27
Updated: 2018-03-27
Packaged: 2019-04-07 21:34:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,099
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14090127
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rakefetzyz/pseuds/Rakefetzyz
Summary: When Auggie Pullman and his parents need legal assistance they turn to a firm called Nelson and Murdock.  Auggie is surprised to discover that his lawyer is blind. Matt discovers that he has an advantage over sighted people when meeting Auggie.If you are not familiar with Wonder, all you need to know is that Auggie Pullman is a ten-year-old with severe facial differences that cause people to react when they see him.If you are familiar with Wonder but not Daredevil, it’s about a lawyer named Matt Murdock who is also a superhero called Daredevil. But the superhero part doesn’t really come into this story. Matt was blinded in a traffic accident when he was nine.





	Auggie Pullman and Mr. Murdock

**Author's Note:**

> This references both the book Wonder by R. J. Palacio and the Lionsgate film. For the sake of this sketch, Julian’s parents have gone farther than they really do, using their wealth and influence to have Auggie removed from Beecher Prep.
> 
> In the Daredevil world this takes place during the Nelson and Murdock partnership.
> 
> Wonder characters belong to R. J. Palacio and Lionsgate. Daredevil characters belong to Marvel and Netflix.

It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye. -- Antoine de Saint-Exupery, The Little Prince 

 

Auggie

Mom explained why we were having a hard time finding a lawyer.  
  
Julian’s parents are rich. I mean really rich. They didn’t like the way Mr. Tushman took my side. So they went over the principal's head and told the board of directors not to let me continue at Beecher Prep.  
  
Julian wanted me out of the school because my face is different. And no I won't describe it. But whatever you think I look like, it’s probably worse.  
  
The lawyers my parents spoke to didn’t want to help us because they were scared.  
  
“Scared of what?”  
  
“They're afraid the Albans’ political influence will ruin their careers,” Mom replied.  
  
Then Dad found a firm called Nelson and Murdock who agreed to take my case.  
  
“They're new. Not much experience yet,” he told Mom, “But this Murdock guy seems anxious to take on the Albans.”  
  
He said Mr. Murdock wanted to interview me. The three of us would drive to their office that afternoon.  
  
I thought it would it be fancy like the law offices on TV. It wasn’t. We ended up in a part of the city that looks even worse than my friend Jack Will’s neighborhood. Mom said it was really Midtown West but people called it Hell’s Kitchen.  
  
“For real?”  
  
“I know, right?” She answered. “It sounds like something I won’t let you say.”  
  
The office we entered was just three rooms in an old building. Dad introduced us to Mr. Nelson the partner and their assistant Ms. Page.  
  
I felt that split second when they noticed my face. There’s always a split second of noticing. I hate it, but I'm used to it. I politely answered their questions that I’m ten and in fifth grade.  
  
Dad pointed us into the next room. The lawyer stood as we entered. He was wearing dark red glasses and had a white cane propped against the wall. I wasn’t sure what I should do. I never met anyone who was blind before.  
  
Usually when I meet people, it’s me who makes them uneasy. Little kids run from me screaming. Even grown-ups don’t act natural. Now I was the one who felt unsure.  
  
Dad introduced me.  
  
“This is my son, August. Auggie this is Mr. Murdock.”  
  
Mr. Murdock put out his hand. I hesitated. But he waited the seconds until I took it. His face twitched in a smile. He shook warmly enough to make me feel comfortable. I guess he’s used to people not knowing what to do around him, just like I am.  
  
“Hello August. Please sit down and tell me about yourself. When did you start at, uh, Beecher Prep?”  
  
You know the best part? There was never a spit second of noticing. Mr. Murdock couldn’t see my face. Meeting me was exactly the same as meeting any other kid.  
  
My mouth twisted into the silliest smile since before I started going to school.

 

Matt

I talked Foggy into accepting the case. It wasn’t that hard. The Pullmans live in an upscale neighborhood, North River Heights. They could afford to pay us.  
  
“But you do the work this time, Matt. I’m getting tired of you saddling me with the cases that you insisted on taking in the first place.”  
  
So I interviewed Auggie Pullman.  
  
I knew about the facial differences from talking to his father. But I didn’t react the way a sighted person would. I didn’t react at all.  
  
Foggy and Karen did react when they met Auggie. They couldn’t help it. They can see.  
  
Their heartbeats quickened when he came in with his parents. They were careful not to change anything in their movements or voices, but I could tell Auggie knew.  
  
When his dad introduced us, Auggie was the one who felt awkward. His breathing changed to show his surprise. I’m used to people feeling that way around me. I try to ease the tension, especially for kids who probably never met a blind person before.  
  
“Hello August. Please sit down and tell me about yourself. When did you start at, uh, “ I checked my Braille notes, “Beecher Prep?”  
  
As I gently questioned him, he told me about going to school for the first time.  
  
“I was nervous. Everyone stares at me. They sort of look at me sideways.”  
  
I winced in sympathy. I felt that way when I went back to school after the accident. I was learning cane technique and was tapping my way down the hall. I felt the eyes of the whole school watching. I remember thinking that if I had to be blind, I should at least be invisible, too.  
  
Auggie talked about problems with his friends. Even his best friend, Jack Will, once said that he would kill himself if he looked like Auggie. When I was blinded, a thug named Silke offered condolences to my dad as if I had died. As though being blind meant I might as well be dead. Something like that hurts, even two decades later. And yet Auggie said that he forgave his friend.  
  
I learned about Auggie’s sister Via and about Daisy the family dog. I don’t have siblings and never had any pets. But I was glad that Auggie did. It was clear from the way he spoke of them that his big sister watched out for him and the dog was there when he needed comfort.  
  
He talked about his passion for Star Wars. “I even imagined Chewbacca at my school,” he said. “I guessed everyone would stare at him, too.”  
  
We laughed together. It brought back long ago memories of movies I watched before my accident.  
  
When the ice was broken we started talking about Julian and his mother campaigning to exclude Auggie from the school.  
  
“I’m not going to let that happen,” I assured him. This was a case of discrimination based on appearance and I was going to fight it.  
  
“I feel ordinary when I talk to you because you can’t see me,” he said. “But I’m not.”  
  
“I know,” I answered. “Some of us weren’t given the choice to be ordinary. We, uh, we just have to be something more.”  
  
When I was Auggie’s age, my mentor, Stick, tried to teach me that sight is a distraction. I never really believed him. Sometimes I still miss seeing the sky. I miss cloud formations and stars.  
  
But this once I agreed. Sight would have distracted me from really seeing Auggie Pullman.  


**Author's Note:**

> I read the book and saw the Wonder movie. After watching, I got the idea that it would be a good experience for Auggie if he met a blind person, someone who wouldn't react to his face the way everyone else does. Then I thought, why not have him meet my favorite blind “avocado”? It couldn’t be too hard to contrive a meeting. Both of them live in Manhattan.
> 
> If you actually read this, thanks for reading. I know this is an unusual combination.


End file.
